Honda Dream Yuga review

Honda is gunning for the Splendor and Passion combo with the Dream Yuga. But, is the new contender up for the task? AUTO BILD INDIA rode it to find out

It’s a tough ask, but Honda believes it must be done. Not that the other bike makers haven’t tried; in fact, they have tried nearly everything from offering more powerful and better equipped options at lower prices to alternatives that sport radical technologies. But, Hero’s Splendor and Passion combo continue to reign supreme, and are the default choice for entry-level bike buyers even years after their debut.
So what has Honda done to take on the might of the Hero duo? It has gone ahead and roped in Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and then followed it up with a generic, almost boring looking 110cc bike. The bike might have an attention grabbing name – Dream Yuga – but it looks quite ordinary and one can easily confuse it with Honda’s own Shine.
So, not the best step forward then? Actually, it is. You see, because it is so generic, the Dream won’t polarise opinion. And when you are looking at huge sales numbers to come from all across the country, you’d rather have a simple and palatable dish. Nonetheless, it is very well put together. The quality of the plastics and the paint is class leading. The finish too - be it for the engine or the chain-guard or even the levers – is right up there with the best in the segment.
Moreover, the moment you sit on the bike, the seat’s width and firmness as well as the feel of the handlebar grips feel just right and the ergonomics is spot on too. The distance and the height of the handlebar and the positioning of the pegs feel natural and comfortable instantly. Plus, the ergo makes the bike feel compact (not puny, mind), and therefore, easier to manoeuvre.
And easy to ride in traffic, particularly at slow speeds, the Dream certainly is. It feels light and flickable and the effort required to get it to change directions is almost zilch. Additionally, it has light and progressive controls which holds true for the clutch as well as the throttle. The brakes of course are drums at both ends, and the brake feel and bite are quite poor.
What’s endearing about the Dream though, is its performance. There’s clearly no purchase at the top end and hitting 90kmph is an achievement. However, in the low and mid range, its performance does get your attention. It feels perky, like a small dog, ready to jump and get going every time you let the clutch out from a standstill. The enthusiasm stays till about 80kmph beyond which the performance tapers perceptibly and vibes begin to surface. The 4-speed gearbox though works well; the shifts are positive and short, and it doesn’t require much effort to click into place either.
Clearly Honda has taken a straight forward approach with the Dream. It hasn’t gone ahead and tried to reinvent the wheel like many other bike makers in the entry-level segment, instead it has gone ahead and bettered the design. The Dream for its segment is outstanding. It doesn’t offer more quantitatively, but qualitatively, it redefines the segment. Be it ergonomics, quality, the riding experience or even the outright performance and manoeuvrability, it just sets new benchmarks for the segment. But then, to take on the Splendor and the Passion, nothing less would have done.

Courtesy: www.autobild.in